DuPont gets Gates grant for protein drug production platform

DuPont has joined a Gates Foundation backed effort to develop low cost production methods for therapeutic proteins.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation awarded the firm’s DuPont Industrial Biosciences division a grant to support development of production systems for protein-based medicines, with a particular focus on scalable manufacturing platforms.

Division president William F. Feehery said: “We cannot underestimate the complexity of this challenge. At the same time, we cannot turn our backs on the possibility of improving access and affordability of life-saving medications for communities around the world.​

“This is cutting-edge science. We are honoured to work with a leading organization like The Gates Foundation to tackle this type of issue, as no one company or entity can get there on their own​.”

DuPont is one of a number of companies the Gates Foundation has tasked with lowering the cost of making large molecule drugs.